Human scalp stretched on a wooden
hoop

Possibly from Hudson Bay, North
America18th century AD

Scalping was a ritual and religious activity in
some parts of eastern North America, such as Iroquoia. This early
example is stretched on a bent wooden hoop and painted red with a
schematic face. Scalps were taken after battle, usually from the
dead. Scalp locks, plaits or braids were used to decorate clothing
such as war shirts by the Plains
people.

The Iroquois hung
scalps up at home, regarding them as symbolically replacing people
lost in war. Elsewhere, scalps were dedicated to the sun, rivers or
other spirits and attached to weapons and personal possessions.
Scalping was much encouraged during the colonial wars of the
eighteenth century, particularly by the British, in return for
bounty, as a means of reducing the Algonquian allies of the French.
The Americans continued the practice, encouraged by the dollar or
two offered by the US authorities on receipt of
scalps.

This example may
have been the scalp in Hans Sloane's London collection
described as 'Indian scalp from Hudsons Bay adorn'd
[with] bird & Porcupine
quills'.

Stable
carbon isotope analysis of the hair suggests
that maize formed a major proportion (36%) of the diet of the
victim. This suggests that it comes from a member of an
agricultural community. It may therefore have been taken by an
Algonquian-speaking hunter from an Iroquian-speaking farmer or
coastal Algonquian speaking farmer from New
England.

J.C.H. King, First peoples, first contacts: (London, The British Museum Press, 1999)